1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to test slides for performing immunoassays and more particularly to an immunoassay test slide suitable for use in immunoassay testing which contains a series of test wells each having an immunosubstrate layer formed therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Immunoassay test slides having a series of test wells formed therein have been known in the industry for many years. Such test slides contain wells of varying shapes and sizes and are suitable for differing test procedures. Thus the prior art contains a test well shape consisting of a rounded bottom with diverging sidewalls, a test well shape consisting of a flat bottom and vertical sidewalls, and a test well shape consisting of a rounded dish shape having curved sidewalls.
In recent years, it has been found that immunoassay test results may be enhanced through the utilization of an immunosubstrate. The immunosubstrate serves to provide substantially increased numbers of binding sites for immunoreagents utilized in the test procedures. The enhanced binding capacity has created greater sensitivity to immunoassay tests utilizing immunosubstrates.
It therefore appeared innovative to place an immunosubstrate layer within individual test wells of the prior art test slides in order to enhance test results obtained therefrom. However, when tests were performed by the instant inventors utilizing an immunosubstrate in the various prior art test wells, inconsistent and inaccurate results were often obtained. It appeared that immunoreagents within the immunosubstrate layer gravitated to the sides of test wells having vertical sides. Test wells having rounded bottoms performed poorly and inconsistently for no obvious reason. It is the inventors hypothesis that the manner in which the immunosubstrate dries after wetting and the possible gravitation of immunoreagents during the drying process to particular areas of the immunosubstrate layer, such as to a ring towards the edge of the vertically sided well, contribute to the poor and unreliable results.